Cabinet joint structure

ABSTRACT

A metal cabinet comprises a plurality of intersecting panels are which joined together without spot-welds and without exposed raw metal edges by providing the panels with internesting flanges that are internally interconnected by metal screws to provide a smooth exterior surface having a single seam. One of the panels may have an interior wall which terminates in a flange that abuts the other panel wall to provide additional rigidity and a similar smooth joint structure on the interior of the cabinet having a single seam.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John W. Neuteld Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada [21] Appl. No 874,188 [22] Filed Nov. 5, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 30, 1971 [73] Assignee Massey-Ferguson Industries Limited Toronto, Ontario, Canada [54] CABINET JOINT STRUCTURE 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

52 U.S.Cl 312/263, 312/324. 312/257 SM. 52/275 [51] Int. Cl A47b 43/00 [50] Field of Search 52/275. 280, 588, 630, 285, 262, 585, 614, 285, 277; 220/10, 9, 66, 67, 76, 4; 312/257, 324, 257 SM, 257 SK, 140; 217/65; 21 l/135; 287ll89.36 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,180,810 4/1916 White 220/4 1,356,950 10/1920 Whittridge 52/262 2,229,775 l/l94l Sherron 52/262 2,522,097 9/1950 Cookson 220/76 2,912,294 11/1959 Wellset al. 3l2/257A 3,341,270 9/1967 Sohl 312/257 Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Anorney-Gerhardt, Greenlee 8L Farris CABINET JOINT STRUCTURE This invention relates generally to metal cabinets and more particularly to a joint structure for such a cabinet.

Metal cabinets, such as storage cabinets, filing cabinets, etc., comprise a plurality of flat panels that are jointed together at their ends to provide a rectangular solid structure. A conventional method of attaching these panels together is to butt a flange on the end of one panel against the end of another panel and spot weld them together. However, such a construction provides a raw metal edge on the cabinet exterior and also is characterized by disfiguring external indentations caused by spot-welding of these panels together.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a cabinet structure which has a smooth exterior surface free of any raw metal edges and free of any disfiguration caused by spot-welds.

In accordance with this invention a cabinet structure having first and second intersecting panels with respective first and second exterior walls, is provided with a joint structure comprising a flange including a first leg extending normally from the end of the first panel, a second leg extending inwardly at the cabinet from the first leg parallel to the first wall, and a third leg extending from the second leg parallel to the first leg; a second flange including a fourth leg extending inwardly of the cabinet and normally from the end of the second wall in abutting relation to the second leg, and a fifth leg extending from the fourth leg in abutting relation to the third wall to locate the first leg coplanar with the second wall; and fastening means interconnecting a pair of the abutting flanges to secure the panels together and provide a joint without externally exposed panel edges.

Further objects and features of this invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa cabinet having ajoint structure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing a first form of a joint structure according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along lines 3-3 of FIG. I and showing a second form of joint structure according to this invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1 and showing a third form ofjoint structure according to this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a metal storage cabinet is provided with a pair ofside panels 12, a top panel 14, a rear panel 16, and a base 18. The cabinet has a from opening closed by a pair of doors which are pivotally secured to the side panels 12 by conventional hinges, not shown, for swinging movement outwardly of the cabinet to provide access to the interior thereof. The various panels of the cabinet structure are joined together by the joint structures, which will now be further explained.

FIG. 2 shows the joint structure interconnecting the left side panel 12 with the top panel 14 and is identical to that joining the right side panel to the top panel. The top 14 is provided with an exterior wall 22 which terminates in a flange structure 24 having a first leg 26 extending perpendicularly from the wall 22. A second leg 28 extends perpendicularly from the leg 26, parallel to wall 22, inwardly of the cabinet and terminates in a perpendicular leg 30 which extends parallel to the leg 26 and toward the top wall 22. The side panel 12 includes an exterior wall 32 which terminates in a flange structure 34 comprising a perpendicular leg 36 which abuts the leg 28 and a perpendicular leg 38 which abuts the leg 30. The abutment of legs 30 and 38 locates the leg 26 in coplanar relation with the wall 32 to provide a smooth continuous surface free of exposed metal edges.

The side panel 12 further includes an interior wall 40 which abuts the leg 38 at its end. The legs 30 and 38 and the wall 40 are all provided with drilled or stamped aligned holes 42 which receive self-tapping sheet metal screws 44 to interconnect the legs 30 and 38 with the wall 40. This maintains the coplanar alignment of leg 26 with wall 32 and interconnects the walls 40 and 32 to form a rigid box structure of the side panel 12. The use of interior screws precludes any spot welding on the cabinet exterior.

FIG. 3 shows the joint structure interconnecting the top panel 14 with the rear panel I6. The top panel 14 includes an exterior sheet metal wall 46 which terminates rearwardly in a flange structure 48 including a perpendicular leg 50. A further perpendicular leg 52 extends from leg 50 parallel to the wall 46 interiorly of the cabinet. A further leg 54 extends perpendicularly from leg 52 and toward the top wall 46. The rear panel 16 includes an exterior wall 56 which terminates in a flange structure 58 including a perpendicular leg 60 which abuts the leg 52. A further perpendicular leg 62 extends toward the top wall 46 and abuts the leg 54. As with the FIG. 2 embodiment, the abutment of legs 54 and 62 locates the leg 50 in coplanar relation with the backwall 56 to provide a smooth continuous surface. The legs 54 and 62 are provided with aligned drilled or tapped holes 64 which receive self-tapping sheet metal screws 44 to secure the legs together. Thus the joint structure of FIG. 3 also provides a smooth exterior surface with no raw metal edges or weld marks.

At its forward end top wall 46 terminates in a depending perpendicular leg 66 which continues perpendicularly to a leg 68 parallel to wall 46 and a further perpendicular leg 70 parallel to the front leg 66. To rigidify the front of the top, a .lshaped structural member 72 is internested with the legs 66, 68 and 70 such that its leg 74 abuts the top wall 46 while the bottom end of its leg 76 abuts the leg 68. The leg 78 slightly overlaps the leg 70 and the two are welded together at 80 as indicated. A further weld 82 interconnects the end of leg 76 with the surface of leg 68. This provides a rigid front support structure for the opening for the doors 20 without any raw metal edges or exterior weld marks.

FIG. 4 shows the joint structure for interconnecting the rear panel 16 with the side left panel 12 and is identical to that joining the right side panel to the back panel. The end of the rear panel 16 terminates in a joint structure 88 which includes a perpendicular leg 90, a further perpendicular leg 92 parallel to the back wall 56 and a further perpendicular leg 94 extending away from the back wall 56. The side panel 12 includes a joint structure 96 including a leg '98 extending perpendicularly from the sidewall 32 and abutting the leg 92. A further leg 100 extends perpendicularly from leg 98 and abuts the leg 94 to locate leg and side wall 32 in coplanar relation to provide a smooth continuous surface. The side inner wall 40 abuts the leg 94 and extends to termination in a perpendicular leg 102 which abuts the back wall 56. Legs 94 and 100 and the backwall 40 are provided with aligned drilled or stamped holes 104 which receive the sheet metal screws 44 to secure the joint structure without external welds.

The interconnection of legs 94 and 100 assures the coplanar alignment of leg 90 and sidewall 32, while the interconnection of wall 40 and leg 100 maintains the rigid box structure of the side panel 12. The abutment of leg 102 with backwall 56 creates a joint structure of increased strength. As with the joint structure of FIGS. 2 and 3, the joint structure of FIG. 4 is characterized by the lack of any exposed raw metal edges or disfiguring welds, and includes only a single seam at the abutment of legs 92 and 98.

Thus a metal cabinet employing joint structures according to this invention as described above is characterized by the complete lack of external raw metal edges and by the complete lack of disfiguring welds. All screw attachments are readily accessible from the cabinet interior. The embodiment of FIG. 4 further provides an interior sidewall structure which is similarly free of any raw metal edges. Thus, an extremely attractive, strong and easily assembled cabinet is made possible by the use of the joint structures of this invention. Of course, the joint structures according to this invention may be applied to structures other than the storage cabinet shown, for example, desks, file cabinets, credenzas, etc.

lclaim:

1. In a cabinet structure with first and second intersecting panels having respective first and second exterior walls, a joint structure comprising: a flange including a first leg extending perpendicularly from the end of the first panel, a second leg extending inwardly of the cabinet from the first leg parallel to the first wall, and a third leg extending from the second leg parallel to the first leg; a second flange including a fourth leg extending inwardly of the cabinet and perpendicularly from the end of the second wall in abutting relation to the second leg, and a fifth leg extending from the fourth leg in abutting relation to the third leg to locate the first leg coplanar with the second wall; and fastening means interconnecting a pair of the abutting flanges to secure the panels together and provide a joint without externally exposed panel edges.

2. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein: the fastening means interconnect the third and fifth legs to maintain mutual abutment thereof and maintain the coplanar arrangement of the first leg with the second wall.

3. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein: the second panel includes a third wall interiorly of and parallel to the second wall and abutting the third or fifth legs, the fastening means interconnecting the third leg, fifth leg and third wall to provide a box structure for the second panel and to secure the panels together.

4. The joint structure of claim 3, wherein: the third wall terminates in a perpendicular sixth leg abutting the first wall to rigidify the joint structure.

5. The joint structure of claim 4, wherein: the sixth leg extends toward the first leg to provide an interior joint without exposed panel edges. 

1. In a cabinet structure with first and second intersecting panels having respective first and second exterior walls, a joint structure comprising: a flange including a first leg extending perpendicularly from the end of the first panel, a second leg extending inwardly of the cabinet from the first leg parallel to the first wall, and a third leg extending from the second leg parallel to the first leg; a second flange including a fourth leg extending inwardly of the cabinet and perpendicularly from the end of the second wall in abutting relation to the second leg, and a fifth leg extending from the fourth leg in abutting relation to the third leg to locate the first leg coplanar with the second wall; and fastening means interconnecting a pair of the abutting flanges to secure the panels together and provide a joint without externally exposed panel edges.
 2. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein: the fastening means interconnect the third and fifth legs to maintain mutual abutment thereof and maintain the coplanar arrangement of the first leg with the second wall.
 3. The joint structure of claim 1, wherein: the second panel includes a third wall interiorly of and parallel to the second wall and abutting the third or fifth legs, the fastening means interconnecting the third leg, fifth leg and third wall to provide a box structure for the second panel and to secure the panels together.
 4. The joint structure of claim 3, wherein: the third wall terminates in a perpendicular sixth leg abutting the first wall to rigidify the joint structure.
 5. The joint structure of claim 4, wherein: the sixth leg extends toward the first leg to provide an interior joint without exposed panel edges. 